A 520 year record of summer sunshine for the eastern European Alps based on stable carbon isotopes in larch tree rings

A 520-year stable carbon isotope chronology from tree ring cellulose in high altitude larch trees (Larix decidua Mill.), from the eastern European Alps, correlates more strongly with summer temperature than with summer sunshine hours. However, when instrumental records of temperature and sunshine diverge after AD 1980, the tree ring time series does not follow warming summer temperatures but more closely tracks summer sunshine trends. It is concluded that sunshine is the dominant control on carbon isotope fractionation in these trees, via the influence of photosynthetic rate on the internal partial pressure of CO2, and that high summer (July-August) sunshine hours is a suitable target for climate reconstruction. We thus present the first reconstruction of summer sunshine for the eastern Alps and compare it with the regional temperature evolution

Implicit theories of a desire for fame

The aim of the present studies was to generate implicit theories of a desire for fame among the general population. In Study 1, we were able to develop a nine-factor analytic model of conceptions of the desire to be famous that initially comprised nine separate factors; ambition, meaning derived through comparison with others, psychologically vulnerable, attention seeking, conceitedness, social access, altruistic, positive affect, and glamour. Analysis that sought to examine replicability among these factors suggested that three factors (altruistic, positive affect, and glamour) neither display factor congruence nor display adequate internal reliability. A second study examined the validity of these factors in predicting profiles of individuals who may desire fame. The findings from this study suggested that two of the nine factors (positive affect and altruism) could not be considered strong factors within the model. Overall, the findings suggest that implicit theories of a desire for fame comprise six factors. The discussion focuses on how an implicit model of a desire for fame might progress into formal theories of a desire for fame

Repurposing metformin for cancer treatment: current clinical studies.

In recent years, several studies have presented evidence suggesting a potential role for metformin in anti-cancer therapy. Preclinical studies have demonstrated several anticancer molecular mechanisms of metformin including mTOR inhibition, cytotoxic effects, and immunomodulation. Epidemiologic data have demonstrated decreased cancer incidence and mortality in patients taking metformin. Several clinical trials, focused on evaluation of metformin as an anti-cancer agent are presently underway. Data published from a small number of completed trials has put forth intriguing results. Clinical trials in pre-surgical endometrial cancer patients exhibited a significant decrease in Ki67 with metformin monotherapy. Another interesting observation was made in patients with breast cancer, wherein a trend towards improvement in cancer proliferation markers was noted in patients without insulin resistance. Data on survival outcomes with the use of metformin as an anti-cancer agent is awaited. This manuscript will critically review the role of metformin as a potential cancer treatment

Izostanek juvenilnega efekta potrjen v stabilnih izotopih ogljika in kisika v branikah evropskega macesna

Članek obravnava razmerja ogljikovih in kisikovih izotopov v branikah blizu stržena na prsni višini (cca 1,2 m) treh evropskih macesnov (Larix decidua Mill.), rastočih v mešanem gozdu s predraslimi hrasti in nasajenimi evropskimi macesni v zahodnem Walesu, Velika Britanija. Neklimatskega naraščajočega trenda v razmerjih ogljikovih izotopov, ki ga je sicer opaziti pri drugih vrstah v letih juvenilne rasti, ni, in tudi razmerje stabilnih izotopov ne kaže pomembnih trendov med odraščanjem drevesa. Rezultati iz prvih desetih branik ob strženu se bistveno ne razlikujejo od naslednjih dveh nizov desetih branik. O izostanku juvenilnega efekta v ogljikovih izotopih evropskega macesna so že poročali v zvezi z macesni, rastočimi v nesklenjenih sestojih v Franciji in to pripisali nezastrtosti krošenj in posledične neuporabe ogljikovega dioksida, ki ga pri dihanju oddajajo drevesa. Analizirana drevesa v zahodnem Walesu so rasla v nasadu s predraslimi hrasti, ki so bili starejši od podraslih macesnov. Macesni, kot svetloljubne drevesne vrste, so morali tekmovati za prostor in svetlobo, zato domnevamo, da je morebiten pojav juvenilnega efekta pri stabilnih izotopih prej posledica sprememb v hidravlični prevodnosti lesa, kot pa česa drugega. Ker današnja praksa izogibanja juvenilnega lesa omejuje potencial stabilnih izotopov drevesnih branik za dendroklimatološke in fiziološke raziskave, bi bile potrebnih dodatne raziskave o učinkih juvenilne rasti na pojav juvenilnega efekta v meritvah stabilnih izotopov.We report carbon and oxygen isotope ratios measured from the pith at breast height (ca. 1.2m) of three European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) trees growing in a mixed wood in West Wales, UK. The non-climatic rising trend of carbon isotope ratios reported for other species during early (juvenile) growth is not present and neither isotope shows significant trends as the tree matures. Results from the first ten rings are not significantly different from the next two sets of ten rings. Absence of a juvenile effect in carbon isotopes of European larch has been reported from trees growing in a low density stand in France and attributed to an absence of shading and no use of respired carbon dioxide. This site, in contrast, is densely wooded and the dominant oaks predate the larch trees, suggesting that juvenile effects, when present, may instead be caused by changes in hydraulic conductivity. More research is needed on juvenile effects as the current practice of avoiding juvenile wood is restricting the potential of stable isotope analysis of tree rings for dendroclimatology and plant physiology

Stable oxygen isotopes in Irish oaks: potential for reconstructing local and regional climate

The long Irish oak tree-ring chronology, developed for archaeological dating and radiocarbon calibration, is the longest of any in northwest maritime Europe, spanning most of the Holocene (7,272 years). Unfortunately, the rings widths do not carry a strong climate signal and the record hasnever been satisfactorily applied for dendroclimatic reconstruction. This pilot study explores the potential for extracting a climate signal from Irish oaks by comparing the stable oxygen isotopes ratios from 10 oak tree cores (Quercus robur and Quercus petraea L.) collected across the Armagh region of NE Ireland with local and regional climatic and stable isotopic data. Statistically significant correlations between isotope ratios and the amount of summer precipitation (r = -0.44) point to the isotopic composition of summer rainfall as the dominant signal. Including the Armagh data into an extended regional oxygen isotope series did not reduce the correlation coefficient with regional precipitation (r = -0.68, p < 0.01). Correlations of this magnitude in dendro-hydroclimatology are typically restricted to trees growing at their ecological limits. This research suggests that there is considerable potential for including living trees and ancient timbers from Ireland into a regional composite to reconstruct the summer hydroclimate of Britain and Ireland

All the colours of the rainbow.

Our perception of colour has always been a source of fascination, so it's little wonder that studies of the phenomenon date back hundreds of years. What, though, can modern scientists learn from medieval literature — and how do we go about it

Spankers and Nonspankers: Where They Get Information on Spanking

Because spanking is common, puts children at risk for harmful side effects, and is ineffective as a positive behavior management tool, it is important to identify the kind of advice families receive about the appropriateness of spanking. Using the health belief model, I examined spankers and nonspankers on the spanking messages they received from eight sources of discipline information and how important they perceived these messages to be. Data from telephone interviews with 998 mothers with children aged 2 to 14 years showed that 33% of mothers rated advice from workshops, pediatricians, newspapers and magazines, and books as ‘‘very important.’’ Less than 15% rated parents and relatives and friends as such. Spankers perceived sources as recommending spanking, whereas nonspankers perceived sources as opposing spanking. Mothers were more likely to spank when they perceived more intense messages to spank, less intense messages opposing spanking, had younger children, and were of lower socioeconomic status

A Phase II Basket Trial of Dual Anti-CTLA-4 and Anti-PD-1 Blockade in Rare Tumors (DART SWOG 1609) in Patients with Nonpancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors.

PurposeImmune checkpoint blockade has improved outcomes across tumor types; little is known about the efficacy of these agents in rare tumors. We report the results of the (nonpancreatic) neuroendocrine neoplasm cohort of SWOG S1609 dual anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 blockade in rare tumors (DART).Patients and methodsWe performed a prospective, open-label, multicenter phase II clinical trial of ipilimumab plus nivolumab across multiple rare tumor cohorts, with the (nonpancreatic) neuroendocrine cohort reported here. Response assessment by grade was not prespecified. The primary endpoint was overall response rate [ORR; RECIST v1.1; complete response (CR) and partial response (PR)]; secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), stable disease >6 months, and toxicity.ResultsThirty-two eligible patients received therapy; 18 (56%) had high-grade disease. Most common primary sites were gastrointestinal (47%; N = 15) and lung (19%; N = 6). The overall ORR was 25% [95% confidence interval (CI) 13-64%; CR, 3%, N = 1; PR, 22%, N = 7]. Patients with high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma had an ORR of 44% (8/18 patients) versus 0% in low/intermediate grade tumors (0/14 patients; P = 0.004). The 6-month PFS was 31% (95% CI, 19%-52%); median OS was 11 months (95% CI, 6-∞). The most common toxicities were hypothyroidism (31%), fatigue (28%), and nausea (28%), with alanine aminotransferase elevation (9%) as the most common grade 3/4 immune-related adverse event, and no grade 5 events.ConclusionsIpilimumab plus nivolumab demonstrated a 44% ORR in patients with nonpancreatic high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma, with 0% ORR in low/intermediate grade disease